bail snaps shut on Shimano 6000

[Tony A]

I lost another plug this morning using a Shimano when the bail snapped
down during the cast. The bail spring is strong so I can't figure out
what I am doing wrong. Anybody have any advice or suggestions? Other than that it is a smooth reel so I would like to solve the problem. I am using 30 lb mono shock leader with 50 lb Pro braid

[TFKiv]

I had a reel that did that on occasion. I graduated up out of that one without fixing it, but while I was using it I did notice that sometimes the bail wouldn't definitively click locked open, it would just kind of snug (still pretty solidly) into place. On mine I imagined that the locking mechanism was a little dirty, corroded or otherwise gummed up. Is there something preventing the bail from being easily completely opened to lock it... exterior gunk/corrosion where the bail pivots? Option 3, the auto engage (where when you start to crank and it trips the bail into reel position) may be too easily triggered. Bumping the handle during casting, or just extra momentum may cause it to trip. Some guys non mechanical fix of this is to open the bail for casting and then manually twist the free slack out of the bail so that you're not getting movement in the bail during the cast where the reel thinks you've started the retrieve already.

[TFKiv]

Option 4 Is that the bail got bumped at some point and is bent.

[Tony A]

Thanks first mate, I had 50 lb power pro with a 30 lb mono shock leader on the reel which I removed and filled the reel with 20 lb Trilene Big game mono
without a shocker.
I'll see if that makes a difference. I plan to fish the Canal this week end so I'll see what happens.

[Joe Wiz]

I've known guys who have just cut the wire bail off and left the roller. You can blast off a cast as far as you'd like. Once it's settled in, you do a manual pick-up of the line to the roller. Takes a little getting used to, but it serves them well. ( Just another option )

[ReelinRod]

What happens on these super-smooth / turn if a butterfly lands on the handle reels is that when you finish the casting motion and stop, the handle begins rotating and the internal trip flips the bail and snap-pow . . . What you need to do is make sure the handle is pointing towards the butt of the rod when you open the bail to cast. This position stops the reel from turning because the inertia put on the handle is in the reverse direction against the anti-reverse.

This problem is why the majority of reels engineered for distance and thus intended to be subjected to high casting forces, are manual bails (no internal or external trip mechanism).

[roym]

Tony,

The best and simplest fix is to remove the bail spring and to open and close the bail manually. You will never lose another plug and you will get used to manually closing the bail in minutes

roym